Hen&#39;s nest



March 30, 1954 H MAGAARD. ET AL 2,673,550

HENS NEST Filed Feb. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hans Magaard Peter A. Hagen' IN V EN TORS.

Mm BY ym 6m March 30, 1954 MAGAARD ET AL 2,673,550

HENS NEST Filed Feb. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hans Magaard Peter A. Hag en I INVENTORS. Fig.4

Patented Mar. 30, 1954 HENS NEST Hans Magaard and Peter nn., assignors, ments, to of Minnesota A. Hagen, Willmar,

by direct and mesne assign- National Products Co., a corporation Application February 19, 1952, Serial N 0. 272,368

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to many useful improvements in hens nests and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a nest composed of parts that are quickly and readily removable in order to permit the nest to be retained in a clean and sanitary condition for continued use.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a hens nest involving novel and improved means for conducting laid eggs to a sliding drawer and in such a manner as to reduce breakage of the eggs to a minimum.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hens nest including a removable seat element that overlies a vertically swingable egg drop member whereby eggs passing on to the member will be carried to a ramp within a sliding drawer.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a hens nest of the aforementioned character that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, small and compact in structure, inexpensive to manufacture, convenient to clean, and otherwise well adapted to the purposes for which the same is intended.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the gravity actuated egg dropping member used in the invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the sliding drawer and showing its bottom wall in an open position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral It) represents a housing shelter generally, including a pair of spaced parallel vertical walls I2, whose upper vertically inclined ends are connected together by forward and rear upper cross members l4 and 56. The upper ends of the walls l2 and the cross members I4 and I6 support a roof structure is.

The intermediate portions of the walls I2 are connected together by forward and rear lower cross members and 22 that are spaced sufficiently from the cross members l4 and IE to define an opening whereby a hen may enter the shelter i0. 2

Horizontal supporting strips the inner faces of the walls l2 at the lower ends thereof and slidably support a drawer or tray 26 having a vertically swingable bottom wall 28 that is hingedly secured to the forward wall 30 of the tray 26 by a detachable hinge means 32. A ramp 34 is mounted within the drawer 26 and includes a forwardly extending horizontal portion 35 that leads toward a bumper or resilient strip 38 secured to the inner face of the forward wall 30.

A seat element 40 is removably supported within the shelter l 0 above the sliding drawer 26 and upon a rigid ledge frame 4| secured to the cross members 26 and 22 as well as the side members l2. The seat element 40 includes a substantially rectangular open frame 42 that rests upon the ledge frame 4| and the seat element 40 also includes a fabric or cloth 44 that is peripherally secured to the frame 42 and which includes an opening in a central portion 46 that extends through an opening 458 in the bottom wall 50 of the seat element 40 to be secured to the wall 58 by fasteners or the like.

A vertically swingable gravity actuated egg dropping member 52 is carried by the seat element 40. This member 52 includes a plurality of side by side bars 54 that are connected and retained in spaced relationship by crossrods 5S and 58 that are fixed by welding or the like to the bars 54. The crossrod 58 is secured to the upper surfaces of the bars 54, intermediate the ends of the bars 5t, and its ends project laterally beyond the bars to enter cars 59 attached to the frame 42. The forward arcuated ends 60 of the bars 54 are welded to a transversely extending weight 62 in order to urge the rear end portions of the bars 54 upwardly in registry with the opening 46, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

A substantially U-shaped perch bar 64 is pivotly secured, as at 66, to reinforcing strips 68 fixed to the outer faces of the side walls I2. The perch bar 64 may be raised to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 whereby the drawer may be extended from the shelter for the removal of eggs. It is also noted that the forward wall 30 of the drawer 26 is provided with a finger receiving opening it whereby a user may readily impart sliding movement to the drawer.

In practical use of the present invention, as a hen lays an egg the egg will pass through the opening 46 and on to the rear end portion of the member 52. The weight of the egg upon the rear end portion of the member 52 will cause the said rear end portion to pivot downwardly and the egg will roll from the member 52 onto 24 are secured to the ramp 34. The egg will then roll down ramp 34 and on to the horizontal portion 36 thereof where the egg will contact the bumper strip 38. The drawer may then be opened to remove the egg or eggs. As the drawer is extended from the shelter 10, the bottom wall 28 of the drawer may be swung *to its open position to remove droppings therefrom, Also, the bottom wall 28 may be removed from the drawer to permit droppings to pass from the open bottom of the shelter l0. Additionally, the drawer may be inserted with its bottom wall in an open position.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It .is to be understood, though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having-described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

.1. A hens nest comprising a housing having an opening to permit a hen to enter therein, a seat within the housing and having an opening topermit an egg to pass therethrough, said housing including spaced side walls interconnected by a front wall, said side walls extending below said front wall and provided adjacent their lower edges with horizontal supporting strips, a drawer supported on said supporting strips and slidable into and out of the housing below said seat, a foraminous member secured to said drawer between opposite sides and ends thereof and having an upwardly sloping ramp portion disposed below said seat opening when the drawer is in the inwardly slid position, and said drawer having a hinged bottom wall under the foraminous element to permit the bottom wall to be opened for the cleaning of droppings from the same.

2. A hens nest comprising a housing having an opening to permit a hen to enter therein, a seat within the housing and having an opening to permit an egg to pass therethrough, said hous ing including spaced side walls interconnected by a front wall, said side walls extending below said. front wall and provided adjacent their lower however, that even edges with horizontal supporting strips, a drawer supported on said supporting strips and slidable into and out of the housing below said seat, a foraminous member secured to said drawer between opposite sides and ends thereof and having an upwardly sloping ramp portion, a gravity actuated drop member pivotally mounted in the housing and having a, portion underlying the opening in the seat and overlying the ramp portion of the foraminous element for conducting an egg passing through the opening in the seat to the ramp, and said drawer having a hinged bottom wall under the foraminous element to permit the bottom wall to be opened for the cleaning of droppings from the same.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said seat comprises an open substantially rectangular frame having an upper edge, a bottom wall secured under the frame and having a central opening and a fabric peripherally secured to the upper edge of the frame, said fabric having .an opening therein the edges of whichare extended through the opening in the bottom wall andsecured against the undersurface of said .bottom wall.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said drop member includes a plurality of side byside wire elements, crossbars connecting said wire elements and a weight joining the wire elements at one end, one of the said wire elements constituting the pivot for said drop member.

HANS MAGAARD. PETERA. HAGEN.

References Cited in the .file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 429,008 Bridenbecker May '27, 1890 811,156 Lieske Jan. '30, 1906 955,882 Jessup Apr. 26, 1910 1,123,300 Irwin Jan. 5, 1915 1,489,563 Wahlborg Apr. 8, 1924 1,519,518 Thorp et a1. Dec. 16, 1924 1,595,561 Merrill Aug. 10, 1926 1,721,649 Tweet July'23, v1929 1,728,700 Purdy Sept. 17, 1929 1,751,141 Forster et a1. Mar. '18, 1930 1,906,256 Forster et al. May 2, 1933 2,048,121 Johnson July 28, 1936 2,253,451 Ulerick Aug. 19, 1941 2,584,909 Ockenfels Feb. 5, 1952 

